Christian The Lion

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adYbFQFXG0U

Bob usually sends me many forwarded emails and I sometimes get tired of reading them. What caught my attention was when she wrote that it almost made her cry.

…so I watched this video of a domesticated lion. It MADE me cry EVERY time I played it.

I remember my cat Charlie who passed away days before Typhoon Frank hit the Philippines. Mom reminded that he’d lived 15 years already so it had been his time. Charlie had been a proud cat. A long time ago, Bambi brought him to our parents’ home because he couldn’t remain with us while we were studying in Iloilo at the time. My sister and I had this habit of picking up stray kittens discarded by the owners of their mothers. Who could throw away such precious life?

Charlie was adorable. He was spoilt by the girls and our Korean friends. When we went back to Iloilo without him, he started wandering around the neighbourhood, finding his own niche and disappearing for days at a time. I guess he also sensed that Dad didn’t have a liking for cats either. Dad thought felines were traitorous. Proud Daddy! No matter…Charlie was loyal. He would spend more time at home whenever we were back in town. Cats had sense. Charlie was not to be an exception. He ambushed Mom (I do not recall how many times) when she wore her stockings. Then, there was Lola as another target. I guess he sensed we did not like her very much either haha. She landed in hospital for scratches on her legs that got infected. My Charlie, smart Charlie…

Getting getting old and grumpy over the years, both of them were amusing to watch. …but the 2 got along well enough to tolerate each other’s presence in the house. Charlie would only go home punctually for his meals. Dad didn’t like the idea that Charlie was treating the house like a hotel! Haha Arthus and him used to play around the house together teasing mice, which frustrated Dad even more! Afterall, what were cats for????? (I’m dying here of laughter thinking of the old days). It didn’t even occur to Charlie that Arthus was several times his size and a German Sheperd! The 2 never had the heart to kill anything. There was a lone mouse that lived in our big house for awhile. Once, I caught Charlie and Arthus waiting for the tiny thing to come out from behind the washing machine; another game of hide-and-seek.

They had both been reduced to sweet lambs by the women of the house much to Dad’s exasperation. He’d always envisioned making “tough soldiers” out of them keeping the neighbours away from the family property or being the “men” of the house while he was busy attending to everything else. Dad said that Charlie stayed home in the last few days of his life. He was found one morning in his usual place looking well-rested.

I love you, Charlie. I hope you’re happy in Heaven with the others.